Casey Anthony: What does defense-witness list reveal about case?
What does a new list of defense witnesses in Casey Anthony’s case mean?
“That list is pretty brief,” WESH-Ch. 2 anchor Martha Sugalski said tonight.
WESH’s Bob Kealing agreed, noting that four of the eight names were expert witnesses. “The list would have been longer but Judge Belvin Perry denied the use of more tax money to pay for them,” Kealing added.
Kealing listed the experts: a Colorado plant expert, a Nebraska insect expert, a Canadian forensic anthropologist and a Florida International University professor.
“The case has always been kind of simple, and their witness list reflects that,” Orlando attorney Richard Hornsby told Kealing.
WFTV-Ch. 9’s Kathi Belich also listed the experts and speculated that the defense will rely on the insect expert to “refute … damning evidence” that Anthony put daughter Caylee’s body in her car trunk. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in Caylee’s death.
“The forensic evidence in this case will come down to a battle of experts,” WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer told Belich. He added that juries are usually tougher on defense experts, who are paid for their work.
Another defense witness is the ex-wife of meter reader Roy Kronk, who found Caylee’s remains. Kealing speculated that the ex-wife will be part of defense’s efforts to raise reasonable doubt about who placed the toddler in the woods.
In other Anthony news, Judge Perry has ordered a hearing for 1:30 p.m. Friday about a defense motion to have a special magistrate present when defense experts review evidence. Anthony is expected to be at the hearing.
“Casey’s defense team wants to be able to inspect evidence in the case that’s being held at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office,” said Jacqueline Fell of Central Florida News 13. “Anthony’s attorneys want Judge Belvin Perry to appoint what’s called a special master. That’s an objective observer, that’s either a lawyer or a retired judge, who will impartially oversee the defense’s request to view this evidence.” The defense wants to view the evidence July 14 and 15, Fell added.